Earlier today we mentioned that post-hardcore veteran Walter Schreifels (Gorilla Biscuits, Youth of Today, Quicksand, Rival Schools, etc) would be playing the Iron Pier CMJ showcase (BV co-presents) with his new band The Dead Heavens, along with Self Defense Family and Dee Pockets. That's not the only new band Walter has though. He's also fronting Vanshing Life, for which he's joined by two Trail of Dead members, Jamie Miller and Autry Fulbright, and Rise Against's Zach Blair. Their debut 7", "People Running" b/w "Vanishing Life," is due out October 14 via Collect Records, the label Thursday/United Nations' Geoff Rickly runs with Texas is the Reason's Norman Brannon. Walter's produced a variety of sounds over the years, but so far Vanishing Life is sounding pretty in line with his '90s post-hardcore stuff. Hear it for yourself by streaming the a-side of the new single below.

The band are set to make their live debut on October 18 in New York with two in-stores that day: one at 2 PM at Generation Records in NYC and another at 6 PM at Looney Tunes Records in West Babylon. They'll be playing a brief set and doing a signing at each.

As mentioned, Brooklyn's Brain Cave Festival is returning this year and it begins TONIGHT (4/11), continuing through Sunday (4/14). Most shows happen at Europa, and there's also a free day show on Saturday at the Greenpointers.com Market. When we first posted the lineup, there was a "Surprise Special Guest TBA" listed for Saturday's show, and we've since learned that it's Forgetters, the currently project of Jawbreaker/Jets to Brazil frontman Blake Schwarzenbach, who released their self titled album in late 2012.

The Forgetters show is with Monogold, Clouder, and Quiet Loudly. Other bands playing other days of the festival include Peelander-Z, The Suzan, Eula, Cat Martino, Lemonade, and more. Tickets for individual nights and 4-day passes are still available. Updated lineup below.

Meanwhile, in other Brain Cave Festival related news, Lemonade have been added as an opener to the previously discussedJohn Talabot tour, including his NYC show on May 28 at Music Hall of Williamsburg with FIXED DJs JDH & Dave P. Tickets for that show are still available.

Willis Earl Beal, who is on tour now, released a "free digital Principles Of A Protagonist soundtrack EP of 5 re-recorded songs from Acousmatic Sorcery" via BitTorrent.

Speaking of BitTorrent and Death Grips, the rap-noise crew are the most downloaded artist on BitTorrent for the first half of 2012, with over 34 million downloads, beating Counting Crows, DJ Shadow, and Pretty Lights.

Touche Amore do a great cover of The Replacements' "Unsatisfied" for their new split with The Casket Lottery (out now on No Sleep Records). Meanwhile, The Casket Lottery offer their take on Beach House's "Myth." Stream the entire release (both bands offer an original song as well) at the No Sleep Bandcamp.

Legendary black metal crew Von, widely considered to be the first US black metal band, have released a new song (!) in "Jesus Stain" from their upcoming Satanic Blood due on Oct 31. Stream that track below courtesy of Decibel Magazine.

Screaming Femaleswill release their new album, Ugly, on April 3 via Don Giovanni. They recorded it with Steve Albini, whose been having a great year so far with this album and the new Cloud Nothings album. Even moreso than on that album, Albini gives Ugly the same kind of treatment he gave Surfer Rosa, Rid of Me, and In Utero, with huge snares and spacious noisy guitars. As good of an album that SF's 2010 LP Castle Talk was, Ugly is the first time the power of their live shows is effectively captured on record. You can check out a taste of the album with the first single, "It All Means Nothing," which premiered on Rolling Stone today. That single is streaming below along with a video of the band performing a stripped down version of it for an NPR Tiny Desk Concert.

As mentioned, Screaming Females play a Don Giovanni showcase at MHOW on Saturday (2/11) with Laura Stevenson and the Cans, For Science, Shellshag, and Black Wine. Tickets are still on sale and we're also giving away a pair. Details on how to enter the contest are below.

That show is one day before Screaming Females kick off a record store tour which includes a show at Manhattan's Generation Records on Sunday (2/12). The "It All Means Nothing" 7" will be available at the MHOW show and at their record store shows.

In related news, and as previously mentioned, a different Don Giovanni showcase is going down TONIGHT (2/9) at Death by Audio with Mikey Erg (of The Ergs!), House Boat, Nuclear Santa Clause, Secret Police< and Plastic Cross (mems. of The Measure). The flier for this show is below.

In other related news, Marissa Paternoster's other project Noun will release a S/T 7" on February 14 via Don Giovanni, and the label will press her debut album, Holy Hell, on vinyl the same day. Both of those releases will be available at the showcase at MHOW.

If you're heading to MHoW, make sure and slide by the merch table to scoop up a limited It All Means Nothing 7" available via the band. The song will act as the band's first single from the LP, and will ALSO be available at their just-announced NYC show at Generation Records the next day (2/12).

The Generation show is FREE, open to all ages, and the start of a week long record store tour that ends at Permanent Records in Chicago on 2/19. Check out all dates along with the record info, and a video of the Screamales on NPR (where they play "It All Means Nothing"), below...

Austin's Strange Boys released their latest LP Live Music last week via Rough Trade, and will practice what they preach at a set of NYC dates in middle November: 11/18 at Mercury Lounge with William Tyler, 11/19 at Glasslands with Xray Eyeballs, Habibi & a DJ Jonathan Toubin, and 11/20 at Generation Records. Tickets for Mercury and for Glasslands are on sale. The Generation show is a FREE in-store show. Details on the in-store are at the Facebook invite page.

The Strange Boys appearance is one of two upcoming in-stores happening at Generation. The other goes down Thursday, 11/3, at 6pm with Frank Turner who is playing a sold out show at Bowery Ballroom that night with Andrew Jackson Jihad and Into It. Over It.. The acoustic Frank Turner in-store is free, but you will need to get tickets which are available at the store NOW.

Chicago metal bands Indian and Bloodiest both released killer albums on Relapse in the past year, and the two bands will team up to play a Brooklyn show together at Union Pool on June 25th. Hallux is also on the bill. $10 gets you in the door. Flyer below.

Indian and Hallux will also team up for a free show at Generation Records at 2PM the next day (6/26). More info is available at the Facebook invite.

Indian returned to the studio and released their latest LPGuiltless in April via Relapse. The sludge/doom release is their first in three years, as the band has been occupied in other projects like Lord Mantis, Wolves In The Throne Room, and A Storm of Light.

A Storm of Light kicks off their tour with Tombs at The Studio at Webster Hall in NYC WEDNESDAY with Bastard Sapling (Panzerbastard has sadly cancelled their appearance). Tickets for the NYC show are still available. Flyer below.

Bloodiest, which features the great Bruce Lamont (of solo/Yakuza fame), also recently released their LP for Relapse, Descent. Stream that LP in full, with all dates and flyers, below....

Most notably, in addition to those, CocoRosie play Glasslands on May 23. At the moment it is their only US show before heading to Europe for a July tour. Openers TBA. Tickets are on sale now.

Meanwhile, Princeton play Glasslands on Wednesday, May 11 with High Highs, New Villager, and Ivana XL, before they open for CSS and Sleigh Bells at Music Hall of Williamsburg (5/12) and Bowery Ballroom (5/15). Tickets are on sale now.

White Mystery, who just released their sophomore full length Blood & Venom, play Glasslands on May 17 as the kick off to a 5-night NYC run that looks like this:

05/17/11 Glasslands Brooklyn, New York
05/18/11 Generation Records New York, New York
05/19/11 Public Assembly Brooklyn, New York
05/20/11 Death By Audio Brooklyn, New York
05/21/11 Brooklyn Fireproof Brooklyn, New York

Tickets for the Glasslands show are on sale now. All of their dates and a NYC show flyer, below.

French Horn Rebellion, who recently released Infinite Music Of French Horn Rebellion, are playing Glasslands on May 26 for their album release party. The show is being opened by Savoir Adore, who play Brooklyn Museum on 5/13 and the In Vino Wine Bar on June 26 (Tickets). Tickets for the Glasslands show are on sale now. French Horn Rebellion are on tour with Yelle now.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra, who are currently on tour with Portugal. The Man and Telekinesis play their own show at Glasslands on June 4, one day after they play Webster Hall with those bands. Unknown Mortal Orchestra are releasing their self titled debut on June 21 via Fat Possum. Hear three songs off the album on Fat Possum's website. Tickets are on sale now for the Brooklyn show with with Balkans + more TBA. Updated dates are below.

The Beets (maybe you saw them Saturday at Cake Shop) play Glasslands on June 24. Openers TBA. Tickets on sale now. Meanwhile they are out on tour.

West Village record store Generation Recordscelebrated Record Store Day 2011 by releasing two new records (Off! and Bouncing Souls, both "Live At Generation Records"), and with a day full of in-store performances by Obits, I Hate Our Freedom, The Jay Vons, and Spa Castles. There were also DJ Sets from Yo La Tengo, Tom Scharpling (WFMU's Best Show), and Eric Davidson (and a special appearance by Fred Armisen who also played a secret set before Joan as Policewoman at Mercury Lounge two nights earlier) during the afternoon of 4/16. J Edward Keyes reports that, "Obits [turned] in a great all-covers Record Store Day set at Generation w. special guests: Ira & Georgia from Yo La Tengo!" You can see the action in the pictures from the whole day, above and below.

Obits play NYC again on Wednesday, and they'll play covers again, but this time at Union Pool as part of a tribute to Brendan of Orphan with Krallice, Mira Bilotte (of White Magic & Quix*o*tic), and Dope Body. Tickets are available at the door, and all proceeds go back to Brendan's family. Bands will be playing reworked material by Orphan, other Brendan material, and possibly some of their own material as well.

Obits celebrated the release of their new record with a Brooklyn show at the Bell House on Saturday night. Some video evidence lies below. Those up in Northampton can catch the band Thursday night as they tour up to Canada. Their full list of tour dates is below.

Later this month you can catch Obits help pay tribute to Brendan Majewski in Brooklyn, though don't expect Obits songs if you go to that April 20th Union Pool show (though maybe they'll play some).

Do expect Obits songs though at the NYC gig Obits is playing even sooner. You can catch them for free (but you should buy a record while you're there) at Generation Records on April 16th aka Record Store Day with The Jay Vons (mems Reigning Sound, Robbers On High Street), I Hate Our Freedom (mems of Texas Is The Reason, Thursday), and Spa Castles. DJ sets from Tom Scharpling from WFMU will sweeten the deal, and the shindig kicks off at 1PM (doors at 11AM). The show will also double as a release party for The Bouncing Souls' "Live At Generation Records" 12-inch and OFF!'s "Live At Generation Records" 7-inch.

most photos by Jason House, some photos by Keith Marlowe, words by BBG

OFF! at Fader Fort (by Jason House)

OFF! completed their NYC invasion with a three-day stint of reportedly raucous shows at a packed out Europa on 10/21, Generation Records on 10/22, and at Fader Fort on 10/23. I attended Europa and caught the tail end of Cerebral Ballzy and the entire 20+ minute OFF! set which was, exactly how I like my hardcore: brutal, unrelenting, lightning fast, and intensely fun. Fans of Circle Jerks, Black Flag, and early 80s hardcore take note, these guys rule.

OFF! currently has two dates on their calendar though none on the east coast. November 7th will see the band play Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin (tickets) while two+ weeks later the band will appear at Vacation Vinyl in Los Angeles for an in-store.

OFF! performed their entire first EP (of four) on Carson Daly on 10/15 (before CMJ). Dig on video of that, some video from Europa courtesy of ((unartig))), and lots of pictures from Europa, Fader Fort, and Generation Records, setlists included, below.

Much like The Hold Steady, Against Me or The Gaslight Anthem, Richmond's Smoke or Fire revel in the hard-rockin' melodicism of Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and Americana that isn't readily apparent in "punk". Its a tough line to walk but they do it well, while sawing out driving punk that wouldn't feel that out of place in their bassist Gwomper's former project, Avail.

Smoke or Fire will welcome their new LP The Speakeasy on November 9th, via Fat Wreck Chords. The Speakeasy marks new territory for the crew; new drummer Ryan Parrish of Darkest Hour was recently welcomed into the fold (a seat that was once held by Dave of From Ashes Rise) and the LP marks Gwomper's writing/recording debut with Joe McMahon & crew. Check out the new track "Neon Light" available above.

Smoke or Fire will appear with Flatiners and Cobra Skulls twice in NYC for CMJ, and on the same day (10/23). Generation Records will host the trio of bands at 2PM, and later they'll all play the sold-out Fat Wreck Chords CMJ Showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg with Me First & The Gimme Gimmes, None More Black, and Dead To Me. Full tour dates, show flyer, and some video of Smoke or Fire is below.

That said, both Fake Problems AND Walter Schriefels (with his band Rival Schools) will be on stage at Radio City Music Hall on Thursday (9/30). Both bands are opening for The Gaslight Anthem on their current tour, that NYC show included. Tickets are still available, and you can try your luck at winning one of two pairs! Details on how, and all Gaslight Anthem tour dates, which span Europe and Australia, are below.

That in-store doesn't happen for over a month. Much sooner: a performance is going down at the store on Wednesday (9/29) with Fake Problems and Walter Schriefels (solo). The show is also all ages, and starts at 7PM.

Tesco Vee's Hate Police have scheduled a FREE NYC show at Generation Records on August 28th in conjunction with the release of his new and essential book TOUCH AND GO: The Complete Hardcore Punk Zine '79-'83 out now via Bazillion Points. The show, which kicks off at 1PM, will be followed by a book-signing one hour later. Tony Rettman, author of Why Be Something That You're Not?, a look into early 80s Detroit hardcore, will also be there.

Tesco Vee and Negative Approach will also be appearing at Chicago's Riot Fest taking place from Oct 6 - 10th in Chicago across six venues. Tickets for the festival, which features appearances from Bad Religion, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Articles of Faith, Cap'N Jazz, Snapcase, Corrosion of Conformity and many more. Tickets are currently on sale. Full lineup and flyer and tour dates below.

"The energy we have inside us is not as boundless as it once seemed, and the amount we have to expend each year becomes more and more of a drain for less and less pay off. These are simple facts - it's not at all a "woe is me" type of complaint - in fact, it's not even a complaint at all - anyone who's seen us play in the last few months knows that we're having as good a time doing it as we ever have, and from my side of things, I can tell you that we're actually having MORE fun most of the time - but I've decided to be honest with interviewers who ask me about "the state of things," because what's the point in sugar coating the realities? As we all push toward forty, exactly how to go forward wisely, in a way that allows each of us to live a full life (and not die between rest stops on I-80), is something I need to think about, and I am thinking about it."
[Ted Leo, in response to "rumors of retirement"]

That note in full (he's not really retiring, exactly, yet) is below.

A few weeks back (June 17th), Ted Leo spent a Thursday split between his video shoot for "Bottled in Cork" at the Bell House and an in-store at Generation Records. His record store set was played solo (and san special guests), ran around about an hour, and included a cover of Nick Lowe's "So It Goes," captured on video below.

As Ted Leo says below, his schedule is packed with shows for the rest of 2010, and after that...who knows. His schedule for the rest of this year includes Siren Fest on July 17th, and a stop at Matador Fest in Las Vegas. All his dates, the rest of that note from Ted Leo and videos from Generation Recs are below...

Trouble-making punks the Dwarves are hitting the road this summer, having scheduled a string of east coast dates that kick off on Thursday (June 17th) which will lead the band to NYC at Bowery Electric on June 20th with the Turbo AC's. Two days later (June 22nd), Blag will play a pair of solo acoustic shows at Generation Records (early) and The Local 269. In early July the band sets off for a string of west coast dates and prep for an August tour in the UK leading up to an appearance at the Kanalrock Festival in Norway.

The Dwarves don't have a new LP to show off, but guitarist HeWhoCanNotBeNamed does. The guitarist's new LP, Sunday School Massacre, hit store shelves last Monday and features appearances from many current and former Dwarves including Blag Dahlia, Nick Oliveri (Kyuss, Queens of The Stone Age), Andy Selway (KMFDM & The Spittin' Cobras, The Dwarves) and many more.

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists will be in New York for his set at Siren Fest on Saturday, July 17th. Ted will also be in town exactly one month before (Thursday, June 17th) for a free, acoustic instore at Generation Records that'll feature a "very special guest." The record store show is a kick-off for Ted's short-ish tour of the North East (Canada too). A flyer for Generation Recs and updated tour dates for Ted are below...

It's one of two upcoming in-store shows scheduled at Generation. The second takes place on June 7th when Misery Index plays the store in celebration of their new LP Heirs To Theivery, out on TUESDAY (5/11) via Relapse Records. Stream the entire record now.

Misery Index is currently on the road with Dying Fetus, Arsis, Annotations Of An Autopsy, and Conduction from The Grave, a tour that will hit the Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale on June 6th. Tickets are on sale.

We at Permanent Records just wanted to take a moment to thank all of you so much for making this year's Record Store Day the unbelievably huge success that it was. You all helped make it the biggest weekend we've ever had, and we sincerely thank all of you for your continued support of our little record store. Hopefully you managed to get most (if not all) of the Record Store Day exclusives you were looking for. If you'd like to see photos from the big day (which, if you were at the front of the line that morning, you are probably in), click here.

We do still have some of the Record Store Day exclusives in stock... so if you haven't made it in to check out some of these limited new releases, it's still not too late! They're on display, right in front of you as you walk into the store.

So, since we're still recovering from the mayhem of this weekend, we're taking a break from our New In Stock / Back In Stock mailer this week. Rest assured, we have plenty of new records available this week, but if you wanna know what they're are, you'll just have to come in and look for them. You know, like old times.

- Other Music had their best single day in their 14 year history.
- The Sound Garden had their busiest day in years, outpacing Christmas sales for the past couple of years.
- Vintage Vinyl sold more stuff on RSD than any other day in the stores' history.
- Twist N Shout reported the best sales they've ever had in a single day.
- RSD 2010 was Sonic Boom's single biggest sales day in their 12 year history.
- Silver Platters' sales on RSD 2010 were up 80% from last year (which were up 20% from the year before).
- Exclusive Company's RSD 2010 sales increased 102% from RSD 2009.
- Dimple did twice as much in sales from last year's RSD event.

Walter Schreifels unfortunately cannot make his solo show at Generation Records tomorrow on Record Store Day. Due to the Icelandic volcano, Walter is stuck in Moscow and won't be able to fly home in time. "I'm at a Dharma Initiative like military camp about 30 miles outside of the city. It's not bad, only that we can't leave and I left my book on the plane from Tokyo. The ash from that Icelandic volcano has grounded any flight headed that way for days...so I'm stuck here." (from Walter via email)

Space in the store is limited (to say the least), so getting there early is recommended. Though stores generally can't guarantee which Record Store Day records that'll have in stock, one of the released singles is going to be a Budos Band/Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings split with a cover of "Day Tripper" and from Sharon's new record, "Money." Both Sharon and Budos have some other NYC shows coming up too.

Cymbals Eat Guitars go on to open for Los Campesinos on their upcoming tour. Both bands play a sold-out Maxwell's show later on April 17th. And they have an April 22nd show at Irving Plaza, which you can still get tickets for. All dates below.

CEG just wrapped their tour with Bear in Heaven with an April 9th show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Their encore from that show, all dates and past Generation Records in-stores are below...